Southern sludge-metal veterans Crowbar have been out-brutalising metalcore for two decades; they may not be flashy showmen, but they’re a fucking fierce band.

Leeds lads Humanfly bring the bludgeon – and a side-serving of post-metal post-apocalyptic bleakness – on new album Darker Later. Play it loud.

3 is the third and final swansong album from revolving-door retro-rock stoner collective The Kings Of Frog Island. How better to go out than on a high note?

Hypnos 69 may call stoner rock haven Elektrohasch their home, but Legacy shows they’re all about the sprawling experimental songcraft of the progressive era.

Disappointed by the way QOTSA have drifted of late? Well, Gozu sound like they maybe should have: Locust Season is beefy smoked-out stoner riffola. High grade.

Sludge-pop progenitors Torche have returned – though their new EP/album Songs For Singles is more short sharp heavy pop than sludge, most of the time.

Voyager and Monolith face off on the first release from new post-metal label Science Of Silence; both are competent, but Voyager are well out in front.

Brighton-based UK sort-of-supergroup Blackstorm blend sludge metal and hardcore to captivating effect on their debut Rise Rebel Seers EP. Listen to it NOW.

Montreal retro-rockers Priestess bring the proto-thrash riffola and seventies melodics back to heavy metal on their second album, Prior To The Fire.

Oakland stoners Saviours have been indulging in some Accelerated Living, a slightly cleaner take on their blend of heavy thrashy metal’s aesthetic high points.